Cal Lane led the way in 2021 , qualifying into the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit through the Southeastern Division of the Toyota Series and fishing two full seasons alongside Chris in 2021 and 2022 . Laker Howell followed in 2023 through the Central Division . Marshall Robinson claimed his spot on the roster via the 2022 Toyota Series Championship .
According to all three dads , they ’ ve seen their sons ’ success coming for years .
When they knew
Randy and Laker Howell have shared a boat for 17 years : Randy served as captain as Laker competed in junior high and high school events . As Laker got older and gained more experience in the tournament game , Randy took note of Laker ’ s passion and attention to perfecting his fishing craft .
“ I knew he had what it took to be a pro when he was in high school ,” Howell recalled . “ It really has come naturally to him growing up in and around professional bass fishing . He would walk around all these professional tournament weigh-ins and talk to all these pros while he was on the road with me . To see him where he is now is just full circle .”
Marty noticed Marshall ’ s fishing acumen from a young age as well . When a young Marshall wasn ’ t catching frogs or exploring the outdoors , he was learning about the environments and bodies of water he and Marty would fish .
“ When he was a kid , he would catch bream and explain to me why they were in the area that he caught them ,” Robinson said . “ He knew where they were , why they were eating what he was catching them with and how the whole food chain worked . He was teaching me stuff . I knew then he could be really good at this if he wanted to stick with it .”
Chris Lane , meanwhile , always knew that Cal had oodles of natural fishing talent but didn ’ t fully grasp his son ’ s potential to be a full-time pro until he watched him qualify for the major tour .
“ He fished a Toyota Series event in 2020 on Neely Henry and needed to catch ‘ em in the final event of the season to get the points to qualify for the Invitationals ,” Lane recalled . “ He ended up finishing eighth out of like 250 boats and earned his spot . That ’ s when I knew he had what it took . That was a ‘ Wow ’ moment for me .”
Meeting pro-level expectations
A 17-year veteran of major-tour-level competition and winner of the 2021 Summit Cup , Marty Robinson rooms with Casey Ashley , Jonathon VanDam and Kevin VanDam on the Bass Pro Tour and understands what it takes to compete at the highest level . He ’ s convinced that Marshall has whatever “ it ” is .
“ I see a lot of similarities in Marshall that I see in pros that I ’ ve fished with for 17 years ,” Robinson explained . “ He has the ‘ it ’ factor . It all comes naturally to him , something that I never had but a lot of professionals do have . Marshall was born with certain instincts for fishing that others just don ’ t have . That ’ s what makes him special .”
PROUD POP Chris Lane looks on as his son Cal shows off a pair of nice Lake Guntersville bass for the cameras .
PHOTO BY ROB MATSUURA
AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2023 | MAJORLEAGUEFISHING . COM 37